Israel Hands Over 54 Palestinian Bodies and 66 Boxes of Human Remains from Gaza
Gaza health authorities say the handover occurred under the ceasefire and prisoner exchange framework, as hundreds of Palestinian bodies remain withheld by Israel.
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Israeli occupation forces handed over the bodies of 54 Palestinian martyrs from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday evening as part of the prisoner exchange and ceasefire agreement.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health in Gaza said in a statement that the bodies were received at the Shifa Medical Complex, along with 66 boxes containing human remains and body parts. The transfer was carried out through the International Committee of the Red Cross after approval by the Israeli occupation.
Medical teams are continuing to handle the bodies in accordance with established medical procedures and protocols, in coordination with relevant authorities and committees, ahead of completing examination, documentation, and handover to the families of the martyrs.
Identification Efforts and Appeals to Families of the Missing
Earlier this week, the Ministry of Health’s committee for missing persons and unidentified bodies announced the activation of a dedicated identification unit for the remains of 15 martyrs previously received from the occupation on January 30.
The committee said the identification unit aims to verify the identities of the martyrs, complete legal procedures, and ensure burial in a manner that preserves their dignity.
Families of missing Palestinians were urged to come forward and participate in the identification process to help bring an end to prolonged searches and enable families to receive the remains of their loved ones.
Ceasefire Framework and Unequal Exchange Terms
Since the ceasefire agreement was signed in October, Israeli occupation forces have handed over 90 Palestinian bodies. However, no precise information is available regarding the total number of bodies still withheld by Israel or the timing of future handovers.
At the same time, and in parallel with the ceasefire’s implementation, the Palestinian resistance has transferred Israeli prisoners—both alive and deceased—in batches via the Red Cross, while Israel has continued to violate the truce.
Under the terms of the agreement, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, the occupation is obligated to return 15 Palestinian bodies for every body of an Israeli prisoner held in Gaza.
Hundreds of Palestinian Bodies Still Withheld
Israeli authorities continue to withhold the bodies of at least 777 documented Palestinian martyrs as so-called “hostages.”
These include 96 martyrs from the Palestinian prisoners’ movement, 77 children under the age of 18, and 10 women, in addition to hundreds of martyrs from Gaza whose bodies remain detained without disclosure of their identities or the conditions of their detention. (PW)